1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved steering handlebar apparatus for a vehicle, in which the steering handlebar includes a clutch lever and a hot start lever mounted to a rod-shaped steering handlebar of a motorcycle, a buggy, or the like. The steering handlebar has hand grips at both distal ends thereof, and the clutch lever and hot start lever are mounted close together on the handlebar, at positions proximal to the left hand grip.
2. Background of the Invention
Conventional steering handlebars, for two-wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles and scooters, and for four-wheeled vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles or buggies, generally include hand grips at both distal ends thereof. In such vehicles, it is known to provide the clutch lever and hot start lever mounted close together on the handlebar, proximal to the left hand grip. This type of steering handlebar configuration is shown, for example, in JP-A-2002-371944.
The hot start lever on the steering handlebar apparatus as described above is operated, especially when hot-starting an engine, to open a hot start valve of a carburetor, for supplying fresh air to the engine to temporarily attenuate or “lean out” the air-fuel mixture, thereby improving hot-startability of the engine.
The engine may be started with the vehicle's transmission clutch disengaged, by operating a clutch lever. However, since in the related art, the hot start lever is mounted to the clutch lever in the steering handlebar apparatus, a certain amount of skill is required for a user to simultaneously operate both the clutch lever and the hot start lever with one hand, which is also holding a hand grip of the steering handlebar.
In view of such circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved steering handlebar apparatus having an improved ergonomic design, which facilitates simultaneous operation of a clutch lever and a hot start lever by the hand of a user which is also holding a hand grip of a steering handlebar.